An Eternal Parasite of the Heart
by EverSteam
Summary: Female Sith Warrior and Malavai Quinn. First Person. Slightly romance. Angst. Drama. Semi-action. One-shot. Spoilers on SW Chapter 3. A Sith Warriors reaction to the 'Quinn incident'. Probably doesn't need to be rated M but I thought better safe then sorry. Please read, enjoy and review if you feel like it.


_Peace is a lie. There is only passion. _

He is my prisoner.

I have the crew watching him. Not always one, sometimes two. Never three. I know he suspects why they are watching him. Sometimes no one is in the room but they survey him from the small holo camera Vette installed. They are in every room. Secret, of course. Audio recording devices have been placed in his belt and wrist guards. I know he doesn't suspect that. After all, we were always equals in tactics. More than he ever estimated.

I spend my days off the ship, slaughtering for myself, no longer a chained Kath Hound. Corpses as far as the eye can see. I live for suffer and I live for revenge. My life is driven by a hunger. My power comes from deep within. Within my soul and within my skin.* Each kill takes me closer to triumph and supremacy. I need to vent the ardent hatred and anger that fills me. I am the Emperor's Wrath in title only. My fury is my own.

_Through passion, I gain strength._

He drove me to further wild limits. He gave more fuel to the burning fires of my power and lit my blackened soul. I felt more alive around him. Heightened senses. The Force more willing and complying. My prey fell swifter under stronger limbs.

I wanted to break him. I wanted his cold demeanour to shatter, and lie crumbled at his feet as he gave in to me. His pride drained and scorched to ash. His arrogance in professionalism and protocol torn from him till he was exposed and defenceless. Until he was compromised.

But then I wanted more. I wanted this man to love me. Breaking him wasn't enough. I needed to worm my way into his heart and grow there. Feeding there and seeping him of all his strength and everything he was. An eternal parasite of the heart.

I allow myself to admit that he impressed me. His capabilities and intelligence surpassed all I had ever met, even amongst Sith. He was a loyal servant to the Empire. A worthy rival. My ambitions were greater than being an apprentice to a fat, conceited and inept master. But I never underestimated Baras. He would have layers of plans. A Sith's life is a deadly game of Dejarik. Those who live to become acolytes see one move ahead. Those who become apprentices two. Lords see three and Darths four. I see to end game. And victory.

I had always planned to betray him. It is the way of the Sith. Baras knew this. I knew that after I had raised his power, he would turn upon me. Openly. But Baras never has only one plan. He would have a plan B. Just one.

And when I saw Quinn, I knew from the way Baras cast us together, the way he complimented Quinn and how Quinn joined me, that I had just met plan B. And I allowed him into my ship. I never stopped watching him. I worked my way closer to him. Made him love me. Authentically, not just a show to get closer to me. And I thought it might stop his betrayal. Foil Baras' plan.

Fool on me.

And though I was not surprised when I followed Quinn into his trap, I was still... wounded. While I worked my way closer to his heart, I did not know he had found a way into mine.

Twice the fool.

For a moment, I was weakened by this. Raked with physical pain that grew from chest like a poisoned plant spreading through my body before breaking out of my skin. But my love yearns his suffer.

_Through strength, I gain power._

It was a trap. I had always known. The flinch in his eye called his bluff*. I admit that I hoped his lie was ardent truth. I swallow my pride with my hate. Of him. And myself.

This was a personal affair. I needed no help to defeat him. So we stood alone, in the empty metal cavern. His back was to me, barely looking over his shoulder. _Coward_.

'To take me out Quinn, you must fight like a man. You've yet to prove that you can.'*

He tried to play the convicted man, but confliction oozed from his core and choked the air. A useless cause breaking his back*.

'You know your life is over when you attack. So make your move, Quinn. Make your stand. Make your win, ha! like you can.'*

His arm gave the order. The droids attacked. The battle was swift.

He lay defeated in the rubble of his droids, my boot to his neck. And I felt... _angry_. I tortured him. The room became a timeless cage, and he was my toy. My chosen torture made me stronger. My rage stilled a little. I meditated, gaining strength as Quinn lay unconscious. When he awoke, he expected more. He expected death.

But I would not grant it.

I didn't want the strength and power I felt to disappear. The blood of the ancients courses through me, but this man made me more powerful than centuries of heated blood. His death would empty me. I recognised I needed him now. My loathing for him and my weakness for him fuelled my passion, raised my strength. I needed him for the final confrontation. Forcing him to stay by my side was a just revenge for the misery of my heart.

_Through power, I gain victory._

My time to defeat Baras drew near. When it came, Quinn was by my side. The final insult to Baras.

When I saw the devotion Quinn cast at him, the apologetic glance, the defiant stance, my wrath became my power. Baras was but a flea under my thumb. Crushed, defeated.

_Take a bow._

The Dark Council trembled before me. I am higher than them all.

My end game: the Emperor.

You will see me rule.

* * *

* From Devil May Cry theme Taste the Blood.


End file.
